(MCU) Arcs Collide: Chapter 21 – Agreement and Disagreement

Chapter 21 – Agreement and Disagreement

Summary: Plans are being offered. Some are good, some are... well. And the criminals get their fist desrving smack which left some of them worried.

Tony sent Daisy a quick grin, always appreciating a good nickname. He then took a deep breath and began, “As we discussed, the only logical choice for Thanos is to go after the Mind Stone first once he’s close enough to Earth.”

“Ummm…” a timid voice sounded from behind Tony.

The genius turned around to see Shuri with a frown on her face and Peter looking from her to Tony with a raised hand. Tony let out an exhausted sigh before saying, “Underoos, this isn’t a classroom; you don’t need to raise your hand.”

The kid slowly put his hand down before speaking. “Oh, okay. Anyway, I mean, Wakanda is super safe with all the technology and the barrier and stuff, so won’t that stone be safe too?”

Before Tony could answer, Rocket snorted and began ranting, “This Vibranium tech doesn’t suck, but the asshole that’s coming for the stone has the best technology in the universe. Your so-called energy shield will hold him back for a couple of minutes at best, and then he’ll go after the stone and—”

People began to grow annoyed with the raccoon’s ramble, but fortunately, the tree came to the rescue by calling out, “I am Groot,” even though his eyes didn’t leave the PSP Tony had given him last night.

Rocket shut his jaw in an instant before turning to the teenage member of his team and started screaming, “Rant?! I wasn’t ranting! I was educating them!”

After a heavy sigh, Quill spoke. “Rocket might be rude, but he’s not wrong.”

Tony nodded. “With that information in mind, it’s obvious that Thanos will consider the Mind Stone the least defended and target it first. From the reports of the Guardians, his first move is always using his pawns rather than dealing with it himself, which gives us the advantage.”

“Then the plan is obvious,” spoke the idiotic blond at the end of the table. “We will take our stand in Wakanda and defeat Thanos again.”

Everyone paused and stared at him like he was crazy. Rhodey was scowling at the man, and after a moment of silence, asked, “Did you consider the destruction and death toll of this course of action, Mr. Rogers?”

It was Romanoff who took it upon herself to answer in her usual flat voice, “There are always casualties in a war. This way, the casualties won’t be in a main country that will cause a backlash.”

Rogers nodded in approval of her words, but T’Challa jumped from his seat and slammed his hands on the table while growling at the redhead, “These are my countrymen, Widow. Be careful how you talk about them, or the backlash you speak of might find you sooner than you imagine.”

Romanoff looked at Carol and Rhodey, and Tony could see the smugness in her eyes. Of course, she had provoked T’Challa with the intention of discrediting him in front of the rest of the team so his information on them, which would no doubt show them in a bad light, wouldn’t be believed.

It was Nick who responded to her. “Oh my, Romanoff, you’re slipping. Seems your vacation had a cost. Wakanda created a partnership with SI some months ago and has since helped the world in many ways. If someone is the reason for their destruction, the backlash will be real, but not on the side you’re predicting.”

Romanoff’s eyes widened in shock. Tony couldn’t guess what rattled her more—was it the fact Nick spoke to her like that again? Was it that she once again missed an important piece of information that would have destroyed her if she took action? Or was it the snickers from everyone around the room showing her how little respect she now commanded?

Rogers scowled and finally declared, “We can’t save everybody.”

“That might be true if you don’t know where the enemy will head, so you fight to save as many as you can, even if it’s not everyone,” Sharon said with a frown. Tony knew that his cousin had pulled her head out of that Captain America worship crap, but she still looked disappointed seeing how her former idol disregarded lives so easily. Her tone turned angry as she snapped at him, “You could have suggested thousands of ways to keep people safe: move the stone, evacuate the people, decrease the size and increase the output of the barrier—but you were just willing to sacrifice everyone to be the hero.”

Rogers looked shocked at Sharon and whispered, “Sharon…”

But Shary-bear just scoffed, “And I don’t know which ‘again’ you’re talking about. We already told you it was Tony who defeated Thanos in New York, so there is no ‘again’ for you.”

Well, that was a burn, and Rogers didn’t seem to know how to respond, so Tony cleared his throat to bring the attention back to him. “As a certain assistant helped point out, we can’t simply wait for Thanos’s army to reach Wakanda. Instead, a better option came up—one that will put only us at risk.”

T’Challa looked very intrigued by that plan, as did many on the team, so Tony went straight to the point. “A little over an hour’s flight east of Wakanda, there’s a big clearing with a beach. The plan is to build a shack or something like that in the clearing and hide the stone there. Once the enemy arrives, we will engage in battle with them while having the upper hand in the terrain.”

T’Challa nodded in satisfaction before asking, “So we’ll need to create a guard routine around the area?”

With his former team, Tony would have felt questioned and unappreciated, but he knew T’Challa asked because he believed Tony already had a plan and wanted to see where he could help.

Tony shook his head with a smile before replying, “Thanks to the advanced deep space warning system, we’ll know the enemies are coming a couple of hours before their landing. More than enough time to gather a team and meet them there. Stephen here is connected directly to the warning software and will immediately portal us there once the notice arrives.”

T’Challa sat straight and said in a determined tone, “I am also connected to the warning software. A couple of hours should be more than enough for me and my elite warriors to arrive in preparation for battle.”

Carol clapped her hands. “Great, so now for the vote. Who here is willing to go with Tony’s plan? Raise your hand.”

Tony honestly expected more pushback, but immediately all hands flew up. Even Wilson and Barnes raised their hands, much to the confusion of the other four criminals, who elected to keep their hands down.

Rhodey gave a short nod and announced, “Very well, we proceed with the plan…”

Of course, Rogers had to interfere again. “Excuse me, Rhodes, but you said the vote must be unanimous, and my team voted against the idea.”

Rhodey had to hide a smirk that tried to overtake his lips as he replied dryly, “We said it would require the agreement of the team. You and your friends are not part of the team—you’re the assistance.”

Romanoff put on an offended face and spoke in a fake hurt tone, “Just because a paper says it, there’s no reason to treat your friends like that.”

Yelena snorted at the ex-spy, and the redhead looked at her in confusion. But then Carol spoke, just as emotionally as the widow, “I assure you, Ms. Romanoff, this sentiment is not just a matter of official papers.”

Rhodey tried to bring the topic back to something professional. “Nonetheless, please, Mr. Rogers, explain why you voted against the plan.”

Liking the sound of his voice being heard, Rogers puffed his chest in an attempt to project a charismatic aura. “This plan relies too much on luck and certain members of the team…”

“Oh, shut up!” Hope growled. “Your so-called plan relied on just as much luck that you can handle the hordes of enemies that will come. The difference is, if your plan fails, millions of innocent lives will pay the price.”

Then the ever-calm Danny Rand hissed at the idiot, “And when you say certain members of the team in that tone, you mean those who don’t follow your words like gospel or even like you at all, don’t you?”

Rogers looked like he was about to retort when Barnes spoke up. “Steve. Dr. Stark’s plan is the best we have. This way, all of us will be able to go all out without risking any lives or property damage.”

Both Tony and Rogers were shocked at Barnes’s words.

While Rogers remained silent, Tony decided to shoot the man a quick few words but still didn’t look at him. “Thanks, Robocop. It’s good to see a couple of you have some sense.”

Barnes looked surprised Tony acknowledged him at all and even more so that he actually thanked him.

Rhodey then stood up. “Well, for now, this is all we have, so I guess this meeting is over…”

Before he could finish, a rude voice cut him off with anger. “Wait a freaking minute!”

The standing man sighed heavily and sat down again before asking in a tired tone, “What is it, Mr. Barton?”

Barton narrowed his eyes and demanded, “When are we getting our equipment?”

Rhodey rolled his eyes. “As far as I know, you didn’t submit your request to the support department yet. Once you do, it usually takes up to three days to receive your gear. You’ve been informed where the support department is—I suggest a visit after the meeting.”

Barton slammed his palm on the table. “Why the hell should we waste our time with them when this is the only thing that asshole is good for?” He finished by pointing at Tony.

Maximoff, who had been unusually quiet until now, finally spoke with a sneer, “At least he is until his own invention tries to kill everyone.”

Barton snorted and was about to say something else when a pair of fists hit the table, shaking it all across, causing Barton’s jaw to click shut.

Carol spoke with barely repressed anger. “As a leader of the team, I won’t allow you to speak in that manner to a member of the team. This is your official warning—do so again, and it will be considered a strike. I believe you know what will happen once you have three of those.”

Then her voice moved to a growl as she continued, “And as Tony’s fiancée, speak like that toward him again, and I’ll punch you so hard you might be the first to encounter the enemy in orbit.”

There was a short moment of silence before Rogers spoke with a disapproving frown on his face. “Is this how you, as a leader, allow yourself to speak to your teammate?”

Rhodey snorted and replied, “Wow, here comes the famous hypocrisy of Steve Rogers. I didn’t see you say something to your two teammates who insulted Tony like it was an everyday thing.”

Jess then leaned on the table with narrowed eyes toward the witch before growling at her, “And don’t go blaming other people for your actions, you mind-controlling bitch.”

Maximoff looked shocked and a little scared that someone was blaming her for the creation of Ultron again.

Rogers’s frown deepened as he said forcibly, “Clint has good reason to be angry. Because of Tony, he hasn’t seen his family in a long time. And Wanda is still a kid—a kid Tony caused a lot of pain to. If he apologized and…”

The table shook once again, but this time it wasn’t Carol—it was many of his teammates slamming their fists on it at once.

Hope was the first to speak—or rather, snarl at the former American idol. “Don’t blame Tony for all of you being morons. He didn’t write the Accords. In fact, he operated as Iron Man for four years without the idea of the Accords even being raised, but one public mission for you as a leader, and the world couldn’t have them fast enough. See the irony here? Tony, Thor, and Bruce were never considered when writing the Accords and complied with them nonetheless, but your braindead group went on and proved why the Accords were written with the four of you in mind.”

Romanoff looked like she had just eaten a sour candy. She probably realized that even as Ross presented them with the Accords and that’s why she sided with him first, she had jumped ship because she trusted Captain America’s reputation to protect her. Now she was left without protection, and one of the biggest flaws in her plan was revealed to everyone bluntly.

Then Matt spoke, and even though he kept his usual calm voice, the anger in his tone was unmistakable. “Also, Mr. Barton was already retired and, as such, out of the Accords’ jurisdiction. He drew their attention to him by involving himself with something he had nothing to do with, with no information, only because you called him. If anything, you, Mr. Rogers, are the one to blame for Mr. Barton’s predicament—not Tony.”

Rogers was stunned by the accusation. Romanoff looked almost pissed that he pointed this fact out. Ms. Widow would have a lot of mediating to do to get her own team under control again after this meeting. Barton was frowning with wide eyes, switching his gaze between Rogers, Tony, and Daredevil.

Then Sharon began to laugh. But it wasn’t a genuine laugh, no. Her laugh was mirthless, and it scared Tony slightly before she began to speak with fake cheeriness. “Told you, babe. Now you owe me 20 bucks.”

Daisy just huffed and mumbled loud enough for everyone to hear, “I can’t believe the damn murderer actually calls the maniac a kid.”

Rogers was stunned all over again to be referenced in such a way, while Maximoff was getting red in the face.

Then Jess growled again, “Kid or not, what she is, is a mind-raping bitch.”

Maximoff was quiet with a red face full of rage for a moment before settling on a different tactic. Her bottom lip began to tremble, and her eyebrows raised to complete the innocent image as she asked in a shaky tone, “Why are all of you being so mean to me?”

Jess rolled her eyes and said in a dry tone, “No one here’s buying your act, honey, so how about you shut up before I get the pleasure of doing it for you.”

Rhodey stood up again and clapped his hands. “I believe that’s enough for this meeting. We all have more things on the agenda.”

With that, before Tony could even think about it, Hope and Scott were at his sides, dragging him off, with Hank trailing behind them. Luckily, the kids were right behind them. They were leading him toward the second entrance of the conference room—the one that wouldn’t make him cross paths with his old team.

But as they were leaving, Tony could hear Barton’s angry demand, “Rhodes, I want to see my wife and kids!”

Tony couldn’t see his brother’s face, but he could hear the tension in his voice. “I believe you mean ex-wife, Mr. Barton. You’ve been served the divorce papers, and if you read them, you’ve noticed the restraining order from her and the kids as well. So I must deny your demand.”

The last thing Tony heard before they were too far from the conference room was Barton shouting, “Damnit, Rhodes!”